Advertising device



Filed Dec. 50, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HC'Z.

July 17, 1934. c. w. HUFF ADVERTISING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30 1932 Patented July 17, 1934 1,955,668

ADVERTISING DEVICE Clayton W. Hufi, Toledo, Ohio Application December 30, 1932, Serial No. 649,586

6 Claims. (01. 40--126) My invention relates to a display device parfrom the spirit of the invention. The particular ticularly adaptable to a method of advertising, structure selected is shown in the accompanying which method involves the simulation of an drawings. actual use of the article advertised by display- Fig. l of the drawings illustrates a perspective ment. The device may be used to display for view of the particular device chosen for purposes 0 advertising purposes such articles whose moveof illustration. Fig. 2 illustrates a broken view of ment in actual use may be closely approximated the device illustrated in Fig. l and shown in by the application of reciprocating motion. another position in its action. Fig. 3 illustrates an The invention has for its object the provision enlarged broken rear view of the actuating mechof a mechanically actuated figure in representaanism of the device. Fig. 4 illustrates an enlarged 65 tion of a user of the advertised article, whose plan view of the device with the top removed, movements illustrate the movements involved in parts being shown broken away. 5 illusthe actual use of the article and illuminating, in trates an enlarged broken section showing a view turn, a series of lettered or pictured plates relatof the automatically operated switching apparaing to said article. tus by means of which the display signs are shown 7 0 Another object of the invention is to provide a in sequence. Fig. 6 illustrates a view of a section device for the presentation of an article for disshowing the switching apparatus illustrated in play purposes whose actual adaptability to use Fig. 5. Fig. '7 illustrates an enlarged view of a and subsequent worth might not otherwise be broken profile of the electric iron. Fig. 8 illusapparent to the casual observer, except that it be trates diagrammatically the electrical circuits of seen applied to the task for which it was dethe device. Fig. 9 illustrates a perspective view signed and its function under actual operation of the switch 15 chosen for purposes of illustrabe observed. tion in connection with the invention described A still further object of the invention is to pr0- herein.

25 vide a means for the presentation, for display Many articles by prospective purchasers, if purposes, or appliances, the mere display of which merely named and described, or if displayed by would otherwise rail to demonstrate the .simplicthemselves, ordinarily fail to attract the attention ity of their application to use or to demonstrate of a casual observer. The nature of such articles, the salient points of advantage to be gained together with their usual simple and economical 30 through the acquisition of the article inouestion design tends to render them meaningless when and its subsequent use. not observed in their proper setting and perform- The invention also provides a device which, ing their appointed tasks. When, however, an during the mechanical simulation of an actual article is seen in actual use, and employed at its use of the advertised article, shall display in appointed task, the prospective purchaser often 35 proper sequence, a number or signs or plates degrasps immediately the great advantage to be picting other possible uses to which the adver gained through acquisition of the article. Thus, tised article may advantageously be put, or .dehaving attracted the attention of the casual obscriptions of the qualities of the article which server by a presentation of such an article, as apmake it desirable. plied to a particular use, certain other adapta- 40 Thus, the displayment of an article may be tions of the article to different uses may be premade to lead to the purchase of a number of the sented in a striking manner by the successive articles to be used for as many purposes. illuminaton of a number of suitably prepared The invention consists in other features and translucent plates, whose messages are visible only advantages which will appear from the following when illuminated. In this manner, the arrested 45 description and upon exam-nation of the drawthought of a casual observer may be brought to a ings. Structures containing the invention may realization of the advisability of making several partake of diiierent forms and may be varied in purchases of the displayed article to be used for their details and still embody the invention. To as many purposes.

illustrate a practical application of the .inven- In the apparatus used for purposes of illustra- 50 tion I have selected an advertising device emtion, I have represented a particular embodiment bcdying the invention .as an example of the vaof my invention which is designed to present for rious structures and details thereof that may purposes of advertising, an auxiliary device which contain the invention and shall describe the seis applicable to the use of an electrically heated lected structure hereinafter, it being understood iron, such as maybe foundin the average home.

55 that variations may be made without departing ,An electrically heatediron commonly derives its power from a wall socket connection with a power circuit by means of an extension cord and unless provision is made for the orderly disposition or retrievement of the slack of the cord, there may develop an annoying and sometimes disastrous entanglement of the extension cord with subsequent interference with the operation of the Iron.

Many other electrical appliances in use and on the market which are powered by means of extension cords embody no means for the disposition of slack wire, for which a simple, easily applied, and economical device capable of such disposition would be welcomed by all to whom its function could be understandably presented.

Thus, the hereinafter detailed embodiment of my invention presents a simulation of the actual use of an electric iron to whose extension cord is applied the device designed to dispose of its slack. Simultaneously with this presentation, may be flashed in succession, picturizations of still other electrical appliances having extension cords and having the advertised device similarly applied. It will be noted that the iron was selected for presentation by simulation of its operation, because of the motion involved in its use, it being a well known fact that an object in motion relative to its background will attract attention, whereas the same object at rest relative to the same background may escape attention.

In the device chosen, a cabinet 1 is provided having a face 2 which is normally presented for view to the observer. A figure 3, representing a woman, is attached to the cabinet and projects vertically therefrom. The figure is positioned so as to represent it in the act of operating a simulated electric iron 4, across the top 5 of the cabinet, which serves as an ironing board. The figure 3 may be formed of cardboard, or other similar material suitably configured and colored to present a pleasing appearance. An arm 7 of the figure 3 may be pivoted on the figure, as at the shoulder, by a pin 3. The forearm of the figure may be simulated by a second arm 9 pivotallyconnected to the arm '7 by a pin 10, and the simulated hand 11 of the figure pivotally connected to the handle of the iron 4 by a pin 12. An extension cord 14 connects the iron with a simulated wall plug 15 which may be mounted on a support 16.

The particular article chosen and presented for advertising purposes, is a helically formed spring wire device 17, designed to support and retrieve the slack of the extension cord 14.

A partition 13 in the cabinet 1 divides the cabinet into a front compartment 18 and a rear compartment 19. An electric motor 20 may be located in the compartment 19 and connected to a suitable source of energy by an extension cord 22. The

the top 5 by a pair of guide bars 36 and has a tongue 34 which is adapted to guide the block along a longitudinal slot 35, formed in the top 5 of the cabinet.

The simulated iron 4 may be supported slightly above the top 5 of the cabinet by means of vertical rods 37 which are fixedly attached to the tongue 34 of the block and which pass upward through the slot 35 and are threadedly attached to the iron 4.

The simulated electric iron is thus slidably supported above the top 5 of the cabinet by the block 30 and is caused to be reciprocated along the line of the slot 35 by the link 32 and the cable 25 driven by the electric motor 12, giving the appearance to an observer of an ironing operation being conducted by the figure 3.

If desired the front compartment 18 of the cabinet may be subdivided by a plurality of vertical partitions 39 into a plurality of compartments 40, each of which has a removable translucent front wall plate 41 slidably supported in slots 42. The translucent wall plates 41 may have represented upon their rear faces inscriptions or pictures relative to the article presented and its further adaptability to uses other than to the particular use which was chosen for simulation.

For the purpose of showing the inscriptions or pictures on the plates 41, an electric bulb 43 may be made to illuminate each of the plates 41 from behind. Each electric bulb 43 is suitably socketed on the wall 39 of each compartment 40. Each electric bulb 43 is connected in circuit with a source of electrical energy through a line 44, switch 45, and line 46, bulb 43, line 47. The switch 45 has a movable contact 52 which is adapted to periodically and sequentially complete and break the circuits of each of the bulbs 43, so that upon each stroke of the iron 4, a bulb 43 will be shut off and subsequent bulb 43 illuminated.

The contact 52 is connected in circuit with the line 44 and is mounted axially upon, and insulated from a shaft 48. The contact 52 has a finger 56. The finger 56 is adapted to contact successively with a plurality of contact arms 53 projecting radially inward from binding posts 54 arranged upon an insulated plate 55. The binding posts are connected to a line 46 of the lamp circuit.

The contact 52'is operated by a ratchet keyed to the shaft 48. The teeth 61 of the ratchet are adapted to be successively engaged by a pawl 62 pivotally supported on a rocker arm 63. The rocker arm 63 is caused to rock by movement of the block 30 which has a projecting portion 65 adapted to engage a freely swinging lever 68 upon each complete reciprocation of the block 30, as shown in Fig. 3 wherein the block 30 is ahead of the link 32 and the clasp 31, and at the end of a complete left to right stroke of the block 30. The lever 68 is connected to the rocker arm by a link 70 and spring 71. Thus it will be observed that as the block 30 approaches the lever 68, the lever will be swung to resiliently rock the arm 63, moving the ratchet and movable contact 52 about the shaft 48 to break the circuit of one lamp bulb and complete the circuit of the next successive lamp bulb. If desired the rocker arm 63 may be provided with a spring 73 to cause quick return of the rocker arm after movement of the contact 52.

In order to provide a constant non-tamperable resistance in the circuit of the motor 20 which consists'in line 44, line '75, motor 20, line 76, and line 47, a suitable electric bulb '77 may be located in the line 75.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an advertising device which may readily simulate an operation involving a use of the article advertised and which provides means for further ad vertising the article through medium of script.

I claim:

1. In a mechanical movement for an activated advertising device comprising a figurine having a movable portion, a frame for supporting said figurine, an endless belt supported on said frame, means for moving said endless belt, an element pivotally connecting said endless belt to said movable portion, and a guiding edge formed on said frame for directing the movement of said element upon movement of the endless belt to move said movable portion of the figurine.

2. In a mechanical movement for an activated advertising device comprising a figurine have a movable portion, a frame for supporting the figurine, 2, slot formed in one of the walls of the said frame, an endless belt supported on the frame in substantial alignment with said slot, means for moving said endless belt, and means for pivotally connecting said endless belt and said movable portion, the second named means adapted to extend through the said slot and be reciprocated along the line thereof upon movement of the endless belt.

3. In a mechanical movement for an activated advertising device comprising a figurine having a movable portion, a frame for supporting the figurine, a slot formed in one wall of the frame, a member extending through the slot and adapted to be reciprocated along the line of the slot, an endless belt, means for supporting the belt in substantial alignment with said slot, a link pivotally connected to the endless belt and to the said member and means for moving said belt whereby the said member will be moved in the said slot to move the movable portion of the said figurine.

4. In a mechanical movement for an activated advertising device comprising a figurine having a movable portion, a cabinet, the figurine supported on the cabinet, the cabinet having a slot formed in the wall thereof, a member extending through said slot and adapted to be reciprocated along the line of said slot, the said member pivotally connected to the movable portion of the figurine, an endless belt, a pair of pulleys for supporting the belt, a link pivotally connected to the belt and to the said member, an electric motor, a source of current connected to said electric motor to one of the said pair of pulleys to move the endless belt and consequently reciprocate the said member in the said slot.

5. In a mechanical movement for an activated advertising device comprising a figurine having a movable portion, a cabinet for supporting the figurine, a slot formed in a wall of the cabinet, a member extending through the slot and adapted to be reciprocated along the line of said slot,

the member pivotally connected to the movable portion of the figurine, an endless belt, a pair of pulleys for supporting the belt, a link pivotally connected to the endless belt and to the said member, an electric motor, a source of current connected to said electric motor, means for conmeeting the electric motor to one of the said pair of pulleys for rotating the pulley to move the belt, a translucent plate supported by the cabinet, a lamp bulb supported in light-transmissable relation to the said plate, and an electric switch operable by the said member to connect said bulb with the source of current.

6. In a mechanical movement for an activated advertising device comprising a figurine having a movable portion, a cabinet for supporting the figurine, a slot formed in a wall of the cabinet, a member extending through the slot and adapted to be reciprocated along the line of said slot, the member pivotally connected to the movable portion of the figurine, an endless belt, a pair of pulleys for supporting the belt, a link pivotally connected to the endless belt and to the said member, an electric motor, a source of current connected to said electric motor, means for connecting the electric motor to one of the said pair of pulleys for rotating the pulley to move the belt, the cabinet having a plurality of openings, a translucent plate located over each of said openings, a lamp bulb located on one side of each translucent plate, and an electric switch operable by the movement of said member to connect each lamp bulb with the source of current.

CLAYTON W. HUFF. 

